U.S. patent number 8,718,593 [Application Number 12/930,579] was granted by the patent office on 2014-05-06 for apparatus and method for an emergency switch and a function in a mobile wireless device.
The grantee listed for this patent is Tara Chand Singhal. Invention is credited to Tara Chand Singhal.
United States Patent |
8,718,593 |
Singhal |
May 6, 2014 |
Apparatus and method for an emergency switch and a function in a
mobile wireless device
Abstract
An emergency switch and an emergency function activated by the
emergency switch are provided in a wireless mobile device. The
emergency switch is positioned on an edge of the mobile device in a
position that is visible and operable without activating the
device. An action of the emergency switch activates the emergency
function in the device. The emergency function in the device
initiates a call to 911. The emergency function initiates a call to
911 and provides (i) a canned voice message that includes, owner
name, owner cell telephone number, GPS location, physical address,
and nature of the emergency. The emergency function activates a
speakerphone connection and maintains the speakerphone connection
to update the status of the emergency until the function is
deactivated by the device user.
Inventors: |
Singhal; Tara Chand (Torrance,
CA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Singhal; Tara Chand |
Torrance |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family
ID: |
46455649 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/930,579 |
Filed: |
January 10, 2011 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20120178410 A1 |
Jul 12, 2012 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/404.1;
455/550.1; 379/45; 455/556.1; 455/404.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
1/72424 (20210101); H04M 1/236 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04W
4/02 (20090101); H04W 4/22 (20090101) |
Field of
Search: |
;455/90.1,404.1-404.2,414.1,418,423,425,457,517,520-521,550.1,556.1-556.2,563,566,456.2-456.3,456.6,564
;379/48,37-43,45,51,433.06 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zewdu; Meless
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Roeda Esq; Steve
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A wireless mobile communication device having an emergency
function comprising: a. a wireless mobile communication device
operative in a wireless communication network, the device has an
emergency switch that is positioned on an edge of the mobile device
in a position that is visible and operable without activating the
device, the switch is a two part switch, one part is colored and
lighted blue when activated for indication of a police type
emergency, the other is colored and lighted red when activated
indicative of a fire/paramedic type emergency; b. an emergency
function operative from the memory of the device in the processor
of the device that is activated by the emergency switch; c. the
emergency function initiates a call to 911 and activates a
speakerphone connection, thereby the emergency switch minimizes the
steps that are required to call for help in an emergency.
2. The emergency function as in claim 1, further comprising: the
emergency function initiates a call to the 911 and provides (i) a
canned voice message that includes, owner name, owner cell #, and
GPS location.
3. The emergency function as in claim 1, further comprising: a. the
emergency function initiates a call to the 911 and activates a
speakerphone connection and optionally a live camera connection; b.
the emergency function maintains the speakerphone connection to
update the status of the emergency until the function is
deactivated by the device user.
4. The emergency function as in claim 1, further comprising: a. the
switch is a lighted blue and red correspondingly when activated; b.
activation lights the switch and when the 911 call has been made,
flashes the switch.
5. The emergency function as in claim 1, further comprising: a. the
switch activation is for a duration exceeding a threshold time; b.
alternatively, the activation is for multiple times that may
include two and three times.
6. The emergency function as in claim 1, further comprising: the
emergency function initiates a call to a pre-stored number for a
relative, friend and provides (i) a canned voice message that
includes, owner name, owner cell #, GPS location and nature of
emergency and (ii) a message.
7. A method for an emergency function in a wireless mobile device
comprising the steps of: a. providing an emergency switch on the
communication device and positioning the switch on an edge of the
mobile communication device in a position that is visible and
operable without activating the device where the communication
device is operative in a wireless communication network; making the
switch a two-part switch, coloring and lighting one part blue when
activated for indication of a police type emergency and coloring
and lighting the other red when activated indicative of a
fire/paramedic type emergency; b. activating the emergency function
in the device on action of the emergency switch by a device user;
c. initiating by the emergency function a call to 911 and
activating a speakerphone connection, thereby the emergency switch
minimizes the steps that are required to call for help in an
emergency.
8. The method for the emergency function as in claim 7, comprising
the steps of: initiating a 911 call by the emergency function and
providing (i) a canned voice message that includes, owner name,
owner cell #, and GPS location.
9. The method for the emergency function as in claim 7, comprising
the steps of: initiating the 911 call by the emergency function and
activating a speakerphone connection and optionally a live camera
connection; maintaining the speakerphone connection by the
emergency function to update the status of the emergency until the
function is deactivated by the device user.
10. The method for the emergency function as in claim 7, comprising
the steps of: a. lighting the switch blue and red correspondingly
when activated; b. lighting the switch when activated and when the
911 call has been made, flashes the switch.
11. The method for the emergency function as in claim 7, comprising
the steps of: a. activating the switch for a duration exceeding a
threshold time; b. alternatively, the activation is for multiple
times that may include two and three times.
12. The method for the emergency function as in claim 7, comprising
the steps of: the emergency function initiates a call to a
pre-stored number for a relative, friend and provides (i) a canned
voice message that includes, owner name, owner cell #, GPS location
and nature of emergency and (ii) a message.
13. An emergency switch in a wireless mobile communication device
operating in a wireless network comprising: a. the emergency switch
is positioned on the mobile device on an edge of the device in a
position that is visible and operable without activating the
device, the switch is a two part switch, one part is colored and
lighted blue when activated for indication of a police type
emergency, the other is colored and lighted red when activated
indicative of a fire/paramedic type emergency; and b. an action of
the switch activates a function in the device that initiates an
emergency call to 911 and activates a speaker phone connection.
14. The emergency switch as in claim 13, further comprising: the
emergency switch also initiates a function that initiates a call to
a pre-stored number for a relative or a friend and provides (i) a
canned voice message that includes, owner name, owner cell #, GPS
location and (ii) a message.
15. A function in a wireless mobile communication device operating
in a wireless network comprising: a. the function operative from a
memory in a processor inside the mobile wireless device when input
a sequence of lat long data from a GPS function creates a map of
travel area with map area coordinates; b. the function for the
travel area identified by the map coordinates retrieves from a
server a table of physical addresses and landmarks in that area; c.
the function using the table and the lat long data, outputs a
physical address and a closest landmark corresponding to that data;
d. an emergency function on activation of an emergency switch on an
edge of the device, where the switch is a two part switch, one part
is colored and lighted blue when activated for indication of a
police type emergency, the other is colored and lighted red when
activated indicative of a fire/paramedic type emergency, wirelessly
transmits the physical address and the closest landmark to an
emergency response system.
16. The function in a wireless mobile device as in claim 15,
comprising: the function when input lat long data outputs the
physical address and the nearest landmark, corresponding to that
data, where the address and the closest landmark is provided as
part of a message to a 911 operator.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE
None
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
An emergency switch in the form of a two part, blue and a red
colored, switch on the edge of a wireless mobile device activates
an emergency function enabling an emergency 911 call to be placed
that communicates the nature of the emergency as police or fire and
paramedic and maintains a speakerphone connection without
activating the mobile device itself.
BACKGROUND
Wireless mobile devices have become very common and have been
acquired and are carried in their personal possession by the masses
due to their low cost, convenience, and functionality. These
wireless devices also come equipped with features such as
speakerphone, camera and GPS location.
The US federal government has required that mobile phones be also
useful and function like landline phones for dialing 911 emergency
calls. That is, the mobile phones need to compute and find the
physical location of the mobile device with a specified accuracy
and communicate that information automatically to a 911
operator.
The following information is excerpted from the FCC website:
http://www.fcc.gov/cqb/consumerfacts/wireless911srvc.html
The number of 911 calls placed by people using wireless phones has
radically increased. Public safety personnel estimate that about 50
percent of the millions of 911 calls they receive daily are placed
from wireless phones, and that percentage is growing.
For many Americans, the ability to call 911 for help in an
emergency is one of the main reasons they own a wireless phone.
Other wireless 911 calls come from "Good Samaritans" reporting
traffic accidents, crimes or other emergencies. Prompt delivery of
these and other wireless 911 calls to public safety organizations
benefits the public by promoting safety of life and property.
While wireless phones can be an important public safety tool, they
also create unique challenges for public safety and emergency
response personnel and for wireless service providers. Because
wireless phones are mobile, they are not associated with one fixed
location or address. A caller using a wireless phone could be
calling from anywhere. While the location of the cell site closest
to the caller may provide a very general indication of the caller's
location, that information is not usually specific enough for
rescue personnel to deliver assistance to the caller quickly.
As part of its efforts to improve public safety, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted rules aimed at
improving the reliability of wireless 911 services and the accuracy
of the location information transmitted with a wireless 911 call.
Such improvements enable emergency response personnel to provide
assistance to 911 callers much more quickly.
The FCC's wireless 911 rules apply to all wireless licensees,
broadband Personal Communications Service (PCS) licensees, and
certain Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) licensees. Here are the
specific requirements.
Basic 911 Rules Require Wireless Service Providers to:
transmit all 911 calls to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP),
regardless of whether the caller subscribes to the provider's
service or not. Phase I Enhanced 911 (E911) Rules Require Wireless
Service Providers to: within six months of a valid request by a
PSAP, provide the PSAP with the telephone number of the originator
of a wireless 911 call and the location of the cell site or base
station transmitting the call. Phase II E911 Rules Require Wireless
Service Providers to: within six months of a valid request by a
PSAP, provide more precise location information to PSAPs;
specifically, the latitude and longitude of the caller. This
information must be accurate to within 50 to 300 meters depending
on the type of technology used. by Sep. 11, 2012, provide even more
precise location information, specifically, information accurate to
the closest PSAP. The FCC established a five year phase-in period
for this requirement to allow wireless service providers more time
to develop this capability. Wireless service providers must report
to the FCC annually on their progress in supplying this more
accurate location information for PSAPs with Phase II E911
capability.
Wireless service providers may comply with certain FCC E911 rules
by ensuring that 95 percent of their customers' handsets are
E911-capable (also referred to as location-capable). The FCC's
rules permit providers to choose how they will meet this
requirement. Some providers may provide incentives to encourage
customers without location-capable phones to obtain new,
location-capable phones. For example, they may offer
location-capable handsets at a discount. Some providers may choose
to prevent reactivation of older handsets that don't have E911
capability, or may adopt various other measures.
If a provider declines to reactivate a handset that is not
location-capable, the FCC requires the provider to still deliver a
911 call from that handset to the appropriate PSAP. The provider,
however, may not be able to accurately and automatically determine
your location for the PSAP. Therefore, when replacing your handset,
you should always ask about the new handset's E911
capabilities.
The FCC's 911 rules for wireless service providers are being
implemented over a period of several years. In addition, cities and
states must update their PSAPs to receive caller identification and
location information, a costly effort that can take several years
to complete. Therefore, consumers that call 911 from a wireless
phone should remember the following: Tell the emergency operator
the location of the emergency right away. Give the emergency
operator your wireless phone number so that, if the call gets
disconnected, the operator can call you back. If your wireless
phone is not "initialized" (meaning you do not have a contract for
service with a wireless service provider), and your emergency call
gets disconnected, you must call the emergency operator back
because the operator does not have your telephone number and cannot
contact you. To help public safety personnel allocate emergency
resources, learn and use the designated number in your state for
highway accidents or other non life-threatening incidents. Often,
states reserve specific numbers for these types of incidents. For
example, "#77" is the number used for highway accidents in
Virginia. The number to call for non life-threatening incidents in
your state can be found in the front of your phone book. Refrain
from programming your phone to automatically dial 911 when one
button, such as the "9" key, is pressed. Unintentional wireless 911
calls, which often occur when auto-dial keys are inadvertently
pressed, cause problems for emergency call centers. If your
wireless phone came pre-programmed with the auto-dial 911 feature
already turned on, turn off this feature. Check your user manual to
find out how. Lock your keypad when you're not using your wireless
phone. This action also prevents accidental calls to 911.
Also, consider creating a contact in your wireless phone's memory
with the name "ICE" (in Case of Emergency) listing the phone
numbers of people you want to be notified if there is an
emergency.
While the FCC regulation provides for the equivalent 911 capability
in the mobile phones for a physical location, as now exists in the
landline phones, however, still more improvements and enhancements
are needed in the way mobile devices may be used to make emergency
calls, in the case of an emergency.
Hence it is the objective of the embodiments herein to make the
emergency calls using the mobile devices more convenient. It is yet
another objective to minimize the time and or the steps required to
make such emergency calls.
SUMMARY
As illustrated in prior art FIG. 1A, prior art use for a 911
emergency call using fixed location landline phones required a
service point to reverse look up the street address from the caller
id before forwarding to a 911 operator. As illustrated in prior art
FIG. 1B, FCC has mandated that the mobile phones be E911 capable so
that when a 911 is called from a mobile phone, the phone physical
location either based on the distance from the tower or in lat/long
based on GPS service to a certain accuracy be provided to a public
access service point (PSAP), which would correlate that a nearest
physical address and forward the call to the 911 operator.
Wireless mobile phone handsets require multiple steps to make an
emergency call. As a simplified illustration, for an I Phone.RTM.,
a touch screen phone, to make a call, the caller is required (i) to
activate the phone, (ii) unlock the phone, (iii) select the call
function, (iv) optionally activate speakerphone, and (iv) make/dial
the call. This sequence of steps though may be easy to perform in a
normal use of the phone, presents issues in an environment of an
emergency. The emergency may be from a number of types, where the
caller may not have the time, or the mental capacity, or the
physical capacity to take this sequence of steps quickly.
Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the preferred embodiments are
for an apparatus for an emergency switch 10 in a wireless mobile
device 12 and an emergency function 22 activated by the emergency
switch 10. The emergency switch 10 is positioned on an edge of the
mobile device 12 in a position that is visible, accessible, and
operable without activating or operating the device by touch,
flipping or sliding action.
Activation of emergency switch 10 initiates a call to 911 operator
16 and automatically provides the physical location and nature of
the emergency and activates a speakerphone connection and maintains
the speakerphone connection to update the status of the emergency
until the function is deactivated by the device user. The emergency
function 22 initiates a call to 911 and may provide (i) a canned
voice message that includes, owner name, owner cell #, GPS location
and nature of the emergency. The GPS location may be mapped to a
physical address in the mobile device itself and provided as part
of the message and the call to the 911 operator.
Thus a single action emergency switch operable through a single
step Emergency Switch on the outside of the wireless mobile device,
without operation and activation of the device, automatically calls
911, communicates the nature of the emergency requiring either a
police vehicle or a paramedic. The emergency switch may be a two
part switch. One part is colored blue for indication of a police
type emergency and the other is colored red indicative of a
fire/paramedic type emergency.
Thus an emergency switch operable on the outside of the wireless
mobile device, easily accessible and without operation and
activation of the device, activates an automatic emergency function
in the device that calls 911, communicates the nature of the
emergency requiring either a police vehicle or a paramedic. The
function creates and maintains a live speakerphone connection with
the 911 operator, enabling the detailed nature of the emergency to
be further communicated by the device user efficiently through this
single action emergency switch-function.
These and other aspects of the embodiments herein are further
described in detail with the help of the accompanying drawings and
the description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Some of the novel features of the embodiments will be best
understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction
with the accompanying description, in which similar reference
characters refer to similar parts, and in which:
FIG. 1A-B are block diagrams that illustrate prior art in use of
911 emergency calls.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram that illustrates features of a preferred
embodiment of an emergency switch on a mobile wireless device.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram that illustrates different categories of
emergencies and how the emergency switch on the mobile device may
be sued to identify the categories of the emergency.
FIG. 4A is a block diagram that illustrates features of a preferred
embodiment of the emergency function inside the mobile device.
FIG. 4B is a flow chart block diagram that illustrates features of
a preferred embodiment of the emergency function inside the mobile
device.
FIG. 4C is a block diagram that illustrates features of a preferred
embodiment of the emergency function for converting a GPS location
in lat/long to a physical address inside the mobile device.
FIG. 5 is a method diagram that illustrates features of a preferred
embodiment for use of an emergency switch and an emergency function
in a mobile device.
DESCRIPTION
As illustrated in FIG. 2, an emergency switch 10 and an emergency
function 22 that is activated by the emergency switch 10 is
provided in a wireless mobile device 12.
Mobile wireless devices come in large variety of form factors.
Generally there are three types of mobile devices, a flip phone, a
slide phone and touch screen phone. There may be more or different
phone types in the future. Within each of these types, there are,
further, a large number of form factors. Hence the position of the
emergency switch 10 on the device 12 would from vary from one phone
type to phone type and within each phone type to different form
factors in that phone type.
However, each mobile phone is held in the hand and or carried in
the personal possession of the owner. For example it may be
anchored to the human body in a suitable location. The location of
the emergency switch 10 on the mobile device, no matter how the
phone is held in the hand or carried on the body before its
operation, the emergency switch 10 is visible and can be activated
without having to activate the phone itself by flipping or sliding
open or by touch screen action.
In a preferred embodiment, as shown by side view 12A and front view
12B of the mobile device 12, the emergency switch 10 is positioned
on an edge of the mobile device in a position that is visible and
operable without activating the device 12. However any other way of
positioning the switch 10 is not ruled out as long as it can be
operated without having to operate the mobile phone itself.
People spend considerable time in their automobiles. The
manufacturers of these automobiles integrate that mobile wireless
function in their automobiles, where the audio may be heard over
the car speakers and the phone functions may be activated by
switches in the car itself such as on the steering wheel or other
suitable location on the dash board. In such uses, the emergency
switch 10 may also in addition be provided inside the
automobile.
An action of the emergency switch 10 activates the emergency
function 22 in the mobile device 12. The switch 10 may be a two
part rocker switch. One part may be colored blue 11A for indication
of a police type emergency and the other may be colored red 11B
indicative of a fire/paramedic type emergency. There may be other
arrangements of the switch which may include two different side by
side spring based mechanical switches.
The technology of such switches that are present on the outside of
the mobile devices and activate a software function in the device
is prior art. As an example, in Motorola razor phones, a mechanical
switch on the side of the phone, without flipping the phone open
would mute a ringer, when a call is received. The same manufacturer
also provides a single function switch that activates a function
that is programmed by the user, thus enabling the single switch
outside the device to activate a pre-programmed function.
The activation of the emergency switch 10 activates the emergency
function 22. The emergency function 22 initiates a 911 call to a
911 operator 16 and the call may provide (i) a canned voice message
that includes, owner name, owner cell #, GPS location, physical
address, nearest landmark and or cross street, and the nature of
the emergency.
Further, the function 22 also activates a speakerphone connection
enabling the device user to stay in voice contact with the 911
operator 16 to further communicate the detailed nature of the
emergency. The emergency function 22 maintains the speakerphone
connection to update the status of the emergency until the function
is deactivated by the device user. The speakerphone connection
plays an important role for the device user to communicate without
holding the phone, and for the 911 operator to hear and assess the
surrounding sounds, as the emergency switch 10 may be activated in
a large variety of emergency situations and surroundings that may
include, auto accidents, health emergencies and fire etc. in any
variety of location such as at home, near home, in a commercial
building, on a road, on a highway etc.
Optionally, a live camera connection may also be activated, if such
a feature is available in the mobile device 12. Almost all wireless
mobile devices now days carry one or more than one camera. A live
camera connection would provide the 911 operator the ability to
view the surroundings to assess the nature and seriousness of the
emergency that is either in progress or immediately thereafter.
Thus the emergency switch 10 operable through a single step thumb
or finger action on the outside of the device, easily accessible
and without operation and activation of the mobile device itself,
activates an emergency function 22 in the device 12 that calls 911
and indicates the nature of the emergency and creates and maintains
a live speakerphone connection with the 911 operator, enabling the
nature of the emergency to be communicated efficiently through this
single action emergency switch-function.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, an emergency switch 10 in a wireless
mobile device 12 has the switch positioned on the mobile device in
a position that is visible and operable without activating the
device and an action of the switch activates a function in the
device that initiates an emergency call to 911.
Optionally, the emergency switch 10 may be lighted blue or red
accordingly and when activated flash when the 911 call has been
made. Alternatively a small light may be positioned next to the
switch, instead of having to light the switch. The technology of
such lights placed on the outside of the mobile devices is prior
art.
To differentiate from an accidental activation of the emergency
switch 10, the emergency switch activation may be required for a
duration that exceeds a threshold time such as three seconds.
Alternatively, the switch activation requires that the activation
is for multiple times that may include two and three times.
Technology of such intentional switch activations is prior art.
Optionally, the emergency function 22 initiates a call to a
pre-stored number for a relative, friend and provides (i) a canned
voice message that includes, owner name, owner cell #, GPS location
and nature of emergency and (ii) a message. The ability of a mobile
phone to make another call or a three way call is prior art.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the nature of emergencies is delineated
14. The Nature of emergency may be a crime or auto accident that
requires a police to respond. The nature of the emergency may be
health or fire related, which requires a fire truck and a paramedic
to respond.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the switches 11A and 11B automatically
provide 18 that nature of the emergency to the 911 operator.
As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the emergency function 22 may also
provide optional features 24 that may include calling a helper that
may include a family member, a friend, or a relative 24A and
provide a voice message or a code indicating the nature of the
emergency plus location data 24B. Instead of a call or in addition
an SMS message may also be sent.
The technology of implementing software functions activated by a
switch activation is prior art and is widely used in any number of
mobile phone devices for activating functions in the mobile device.
These functions may be standalone or integrated with the operating
system as utility functions.
The emergency switch 10 type may be a rocker type or a slide type
with a spring action. The switch may also be a lighted switch that
is lighted when activated. The lighting may correspond to red and
blue colors. Optionally, the switch light flashes in different
colors, indicating that 911 has been called or a call is in
progress. The technology of implementing such lights on the outside
of the mobile phones is prior art.
To not allow accidental operation of the emergency switch 11A or
11B, the switch may only be activated when pressed multiple times
such as twice or thrice. Alternatively the switch may be pressed
for a duration that require it to be pressed for three seconds
indicating an intentional activation of the emergency switch.
Alternatively, the emergency function may confirm nature of
emergency through the speakerphone to the device user by alerting
him/her before calling 911, enabling him/her to cancel the call, to
911 operators.
As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the switch also initiates a function 24
that initiates a call to a pre-stored number for a relative or
friend and provides (i) a canned voice message that includes, owner
name, owner cell telephone number, GPS location, physical address,
and nature of emergency and (ii) a message.
Emergency Function 22
FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C illustrate the operation of the emergency
function 22. FIG. 4A illustrates the functions, while FIG. 4B
illustrates a logic flow diagram. FIG. 4C illustrates a software
function that converts a GPS derived lat/long position to a
physical address.
The software implemented emergency function 22 may be integrated
with the operating system of the device 12 and activated by the
emergency switch 10 activates a call to 911. The call provides
location data as mandated by the new federal regulations.
Alternatively or in addition the 911 call provides GPS data that is
mapped to a nearest street address and nature of emergency based on
which switch 11A or 11B was activated. In addition the call also
provides cell telephone number.
When the function 22 detects live 911 operator pickup, the function
generates a voice message plus, provides a speakerphone mode live
telephone connection. A text message may also be generated as an
option and sent at the same time. The speakerphone connection may
be maintained that may annunciate the nature of the continuing
emergency periodically.
FIG. 4B illustrates a flow diagram of the function 22. The flow
diagram shows functions that receive the switch activation input,
determine accuracy of emergency activation, optionally use a search
map function 70 to map the GPS lat/long data to a physical address,
activate the speakerphone and initiate a 911 call.
The flow diagram, then determines the nature of the emergency by
switch activation and creates an appropriate voice message file,
detects the operator pick-up and delivers the voice message,
annotated as required. The message embeds owner name, cell number,
lat/long, physical address, and nature of emergency. The flow
diagram shows that the function 22 maintained the speakerphone
connection and activates a camera connection. The function may also
call a stored number with the same message and duplicate by an
SMS.
FIG. 4C illustrates a function 60 that may be used to convert the
lat/long data from the GPS sensor to a travel map. A function 70
converts a lat/long data in that travel map to physical address and
a nearest landmark via a search/map function 70. The search/map
function 70 receives lat/long data at the time of the 911 call and
maps to an area, physical address and a landmark.
The function 60 includes a function that reads and enters GPS
lat/long data periodically in a table to create a travel map of the
device owner 62; a function that creates a travel area map by outer
coordinates of the travel area 64; a function that periodically
sends the map coordinates to a map service 74 over the wireless
network 73 and receives a detailed database 72 for that specific
area 66; a function that stores the database in the mobile device
with fields of lat/long, area, address and landmark with enough
granularity to resolve street address 68, as shown in the database
72.
The travel map logs the lat/long of the routes in the travel map.
The travel map may be updated every day or every week based on the
pattern of movement of the device owner. The map service 74 that
would map a lat/long to a physical address is prior art and is in
common use.
The travel area is likely to be between home and one or more work
places and recreation areas, and is likely to be limited to small
region of a state or multiple states. Such a limited travel area
makes the database 72 to be of a manageable size for storage in the
device 12's storage memory. As a simplified illustration, the
number of physical addresses in a travel area may number a few
hundred thousands providing for a mapping from their lat/long
locations to the physical addresses. The modern mobile phones have
enough memory to accommodate data of such sizes.
As illustrated in FIG. 4C, a function 70 inside a mobile wireless
device when input lat long data from a GPS function outputs a
physical address corresponding to that data. input lat long data
outputs a physical address corresponding to that data. The function
70 when input fat long data outputs a physical address and a
nearest landmark, corresponding to that data, where the address and
landmark is provided as part of a message to a 911 operator.
These features, it is believed, may enable the wireless mobile
devices to provide E911 capability within the handsets itself,
without the cooperation of the wireless networks themselves in
providing PSAP functionality to provide physical address data.
However, this does not preclude the PSAPs in the future to perform
that function of mapping lat/long to a physical address. The
embodiments as described here may enable a full E911 capability to
be provided earlier in time than mandated by the FCC rules.
Method of Operation
As illustrated in FIG. 5, a method for an emergency function in a
wireless mobile device has the following steps, where all the steps
may not be used or used in the order specified.
At step 30, providing a switch on the mobile device in a position
that is visible, accessible, and operable without activating the
mobile device.
At step 32, activating an emergency function in the device on
action of the emergency switch.
At step 34, making the switch a two part switch.
At step 36, coloring one part blue for indication of a police type
emergency and coloring the other red indicative of a fire/paramedic
type emergency.
At step 38, initiating a call to 911 by the emergency function.
At step 40, initiating a 911 call by the emergency function and
providing (i) a canned voice message that includes, owner name,
owner cell #, GPS location, physical location, and nature of the
emergency.
At step 42, initiating a 911 call by the emergency function and
activating a speakerphone connection and optionally a live camera
connection.
At step 44, maintaining speakerphone connection by the emergency
function to update the status of the emergency until the function
is deactivated by the device user.
At step 46, lighting the switch blue and red accordingly when
activated;
At step 48, lighting the switch when activated and when the 911
call has been made, flashes the switch.
At step 50, activating the switch for a duration exceeding a
threshold, time;
At step 52, alternatively, the activation is for multiple times
that may include two and three times.
At step 54, the emergency function initiates a call to a pre-stored
number for a relative, friend and provides (i) a canned voice
message that includes, owner name, owner cell #, GPS location and
nature of emergency and (ii) a message.
In summary, the preferred embodiments are for an apparatus for an
emergency switch in a wireless mobile device and an emergency
function activated by the emergency switch. The emergency switch is
positioned on an edge of the mobile device in a position that is
visible and operable without activating the device.
Activation of emergency switch initiates a call to 911 and
automatically provides the location and nature of the emergency and
activates a speakerphone connection and maintains the speakerphone
connection to update the status of the emergency until the function
is deactivated by the device user. Thus a single action emergency
switch operable through a single step Emergency Switch on the
outside of the wireless mobile device, without operation and
activation of the device, automatically calls 911, communicates the
nature of the emergency requiring either a police vehicle or a
paramedic.
While the particular invention, as illustrated herein and disclosed
in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objective and providing
the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it
is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of
the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details
of construction or design herein shown other than as described in
the appended claims.
* * * * *
References